Integral tab package opening device



March 1, 1966 R. c. REED ETAL 3,237,843

INTEGRAL TAB PACKAGE OPENING DEVICE Filed April 10, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORJ. 19055 C'. 1956' 0 FEA/VK 5. 1421/25 Q/JWZ March I, 1966 R. c. REED ETAL 3,237,843

INTEGRAL TAB PACKAGE OPENING DEVICE Filed April 10. 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. .POSS 6'. P650 A TTOE/VEY United States Patent 3,237,843 INTEGRAL TAB PACKAGE OPENING DEVICE Ross C. Reed, Pittsburgh, and Frank S. Lazure, New Kensington, Pa., assignors to Aluminum Company of America, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Apr. 10, 1964, Ser. No. 358,777 3 Claims. (Cl. 229-51) This invention relates to containers adapted to be formed from foldable materials such as paper, foil and the like and more particularly to improved means and method for sealing a container, facilitating breaking of the seal of the container to effect an opening therein, and to an improved laminated wrapper for forming a container.

One object of the invention is to provide a fold type container or package having improved integral tab type means for breaking the seal of the package or container to effect an opening therein for removal of the contents thereof.

In particular it is an object of the invention to provide a foldable closure in which a minimum length and thicknes of material need to be torn to effect an opening.

A further object is to provide a closure so formed as to provide a stiffening cooperative effect between adjacent layers of the folded closure to reduce the effort required to effect opening of the container and to assure consistent and reliable performance.

A further object of the invention is to provide a package or container having improved seal breaking means which is effective, atttractive and adapted to high speed, low cost manufacturing methods.

A still further object is to provide an improved lami nate Wrapper for forming a sealed package or container.

The above and further objects and novel features of the invent-ion will more fully appear from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had primarily for the latter purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a wrapper for forming a cigarette package and showing in phantom line part of the adjacent Wrapper of a strip of material from which successive wrappers are cut.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a cigarette package formed from the wrapper of FIGURE 1 and with its top open,

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the package of FIGURE 2 showing the top partially closed,

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the same package with its top fully closed,

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the same package after lifting the tear flap in opening the top,

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged section through a wrapper made in accordance with my invention and showing the several laminate layers, and

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged section through a wrapper having an additional laminate and also formed in accordance with my invention.

It is to be understood that, while the drawings and description used hereinafter to explain the invention relate to the packaging of cigarettes, the invention is not limited to this example as the invention is useful also in any container of the foldable closure type Which may package other articles of merchandise.

3,237,843 Patented Mar. 1, lfififi Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, numeral 10 indicates a substantially rectangular wrapper which is preferably formed of metal foil and a flexible fibrous sheet, such as foil laminated to paper using polyethylene as the bonding medium, to form a foldable composite laminate blank. As indicated by the phantom lines 12, the blank 10 is at one point in its forming a part of a strip of the laminate.

As indicated by the lines 14, the corners of the wrapper or blank 10 are removed to facilitate folding of portions of the blank to effect top and bottom closures as will be described, the cut corners also providing for registering cutoff of the individual wrapper or blank. The remaining periphery generally defined by the rectangularly arranged edges 16, 18, 20 and 22 form the top, bottom and side portions of the wrapper as indicated in FIGURE 1. Exemplary locations for fold lines within the above noted peripheral defining edges are generally indicated by dotted lines in FIGURE 1 of the drawing.

The shaded areas 24, 24a, 26, 26a and 28 indicate selected areas which have been coated with thermoplastic resin or other adhesive, preferably a hot melt adhesive, which may be activated after the folds to be described have been made.

Lines 31) and 32 indicate fold line's respective for top closure and bottom closure of the package or container. The portion of the wrapper 10 between the lines 36 and 32 forms the body or side Wall portion-s of the container, when the wrapper is formed about the cigarettes as indicated in FIGURE 2.

The portion of the wrapper above the line 30 is employed to form top closure flaps, as will be described, and when wrapped to form a package as in FIGURE 2, presents a peripheral enclosure extending above the body portion of the package. For convenience, the portion of the wrapper above the line 34) may be referred to as the top peripheral port-ion of blank 10.

The portion of the wrapper 10 below the line 32, used to close the bottom of the container, projects downwardly below the body portion of the wrapper before being folded and is referred to as the bottom peripheral portion.

In accordance with my invention, while the wrappers 10 are connected in an elongated strip, spaced slots 34 and 36 normal to the top edge 16 and adjacent adhesive areas 24a and 26a heretofore mentioned may be cut in each wrapper betwen the extremities thereof, and a U- shaped tab cut is made centrally or equidistant between the slots 34 and 36 to form an integral tab 38 protruding from edge 16. It will be noted that the tab out is made upwardly from the top edge 16 (above the then coincident bottom edge 18 of the adjacent wrapper), and the slots are formed downwardly a predetermined distance from the top edge 16, which is on a line passing through the base of the tab 38. Thus, each tab 38 is in effect cut from the bottom of the adjacent wrapper.

The individual wrappers are severed from the strip by cutting along the coincident edge lines 16 and 18 on each side of the tab 33. This also cuts across .the outer ends of the slots 34 and 36 to form above the fold line 343' three individual flaps 49, t2 and 44. Flaps 40 and 42 will be referred to as the two main closing flaps since they are used, as will be described, to close a main portion of the top opening of the container. Flap 44, which includes the tab 38, will be referred to as the tear flap since this flap may be partly torn or fully removed from the container in opening the same.

Referring to FIGURE 2 the wrapper 10 is folded about the cigarettes 46 with the side edge 20 in overlapping relation to the side edge 22 to form a body portion of substantially rectangular cross section. The projecting bottom peripheral portion, i.e., the part of the wrapper below the line 32, is folded inwardly in a conventional manner and sealed to effect a bottom closure. Details of folding the bottom have been omitted to simplify the drawings.

Referning to FIGURE 1 there is shown, on the tear flap 44, two fold lines 48 and 50 which may be considered as dividing the flap 44 into a central portion 44a and side portions 44b and 440. Also shown in FIGURE 1 are diagonally disposed fold lines 52 and 54 respectively on the side portions 44b and 44c of the flap 44. The fold lines 48, 50, 52 and 54 may be pre-scored to facilitate folding of the tear flap 44 as will be described. The distances between fold line 48 and slot 34, and bet-ween fold line 50 and slot 36, are preferably longer than the lengths of slots 34 and 36, i.e., longer than the distance from fold line 30 to the top edge line 16. Thus, when the top fold is made, edges made by the slots 34 and 36 (edges 67 in FIGURES 3 and 4), will extend beyond and cover the edges 16 on flaps 44 (edge 68 in FIGURE 3) so as to permit sealing side portions 44b and 44c over each other and over central tab portion 44a in this area.

Referring to FIGURE 2, when the Wrapper 2 is folded as shown in FIGURE 2, one top side edge 60 of the package is located between the folded edges 47 and 49 of the tear flap 44 and the slots 34 and 36 are equidistant from the respective edges 47 and 49. Also it will be noted that the slots extend downwardly to the top edge of the body portion of the package.

Closure of the several top closure flaps may be effected as follows: The end portion 42a of the main flap 42 is folded inwardly to horizontal position. The main flap 40 is folded inwardly to horizontal position partially overlying the end portion 42a, and the main flap 42 is folded inwardly to horizontal position partially overlying the fiap 40 and the end portion 42a. The closure thus far described is as shown to the right in FIGURE 3.

Referring to FIGURES 3 and 4, closure of the tear flap 44 may be effected by folding the central portion 44a thereof inwardly to horizontal position wherein the tab 38 overlies a portion of the folded main flaps 40 and 42. Thereafter, the side portions 44b and 440 are folded inwardly to overlie the central portion 44a of the flap. The resulting closure is as shown in FIGURE 4 in which it will be noted that the tab 38 passes through the slots 34 and 36 and overlies an adjacent portion of the folded main flaps 40 and 42. The top of the package as thus folded and closed is sealed and maintained in closed sealed condition by the patterns 24, 24a, 26 and 26a of adhesive, usually activated by the application of heat and pressure in a conventional manner.

In accordance with a further aspect of this invention, a releasable adhesive pattern may be employed at areas 24a and 26a to rele-asably secure the tab 38 to adjacent surface portions of the folded main flaps 40 and 42. The releasable characteristic may be obtained at areas 24a and 26a by providing a release coating over these areas prior to the adhesive application, for example.

To break the seal and open a portion of the top closure for the removal of cigarettes, the tab 38 is pulled upwardly to the position shown in FIGURE 5. In this operation, the wrapper is conveniently torn along the edges indicated at 56 and 58, and edges 56 and 53 and fold back 60 may be pre-scored for easy tearing. It Will be noted that this is a tearing of a single thickness of the wrapper and that the tearing is facilitated by the stiffness of the central portion 44a of the flap 44 reinforced by the folded and sealed layers of the side portions 44b and 440. After the seal has been broken as indicated in FIGURE 5, the tear fold 44- may be completely removed by tearing of only a single thickness of the wrapper and 4 again the stiffness of the folded portions of the tear flap aids in effecting the tear.

The overall result is that in accordance with the invention there is provided a means for opening the package which involves a minimum length and thickness of tear for maximum opening and in which the tear is facilitated by the cooperative effect of the several folded portions of the tear flap.

A further advantage is that the tab 38 projecting through the slots 34 and 36 affords a large size grip area to break the seal.

Another advantage is the economy effected by cutting the tab 38 from the bottom portion of the preceding blank of material.

A still further advantage is that the tab 38, being cut from the body portion of the blank, may take the color of the body portion in contrast to the color of the closure portion such that the tab being superimposed on the closure portion stands out in contrast. This is quite useful since the body portion of the wrapper is usually printed with a color and the closure portions may be unprinted surfaces such as metal foil surfaces.

Referring to FIGURE 6 there is shown therein a cross section of a wrapper blank in accordance with our inven tion which includes a fibrous sheet such as paper 62, a sheet of metal foil 64 such as aluminum, each laminated to the opposite side of a thin film 66 of polyethylene.

This arrangement and combination of materials is suitable for producing a one wrapper package or container for cigarettes and other articles of merchandise which requires protection from humidity changes and odors. A single or unit wrapper may be prefer-red for a cigarette pack compared to existing soft packs which have 3 separate wrapper components.

In a present preferred form for cigarette packages the laminate comprises aluminum foil in the range of .00025 to .001 inch in thickness, polyethylene in the range of about one third mil to one mil, and paper in the range of about 30 lb. paper to about lb. paper. One preferred laminate consists of .00035 inch foil, /2 mil polyethylene and 50 lb. paper.

The laminate is conveniently made by the extrusion of low density polyethylene resin in a temperature range of 575 F. to 630 F. to form a film to which the paper and foil are laminated.

Portions of the foil side of the laminate are printed as desired and a suitable adhesive pattern is formed on the foil side of the laminate to secure the folds of the package after forming.

In another preferred laminate, an additional film of polyethylene is formed on either the paper or foil exposed surface to provide additional protection against transfer of moisture vapor and, when applied to the metal foil, as in FIGURE 7, to protect and provide clarity and depth to printing on the foil, and to simulate the feel of existing soft pack.

Obviously, changes and modifications may be made in the embodiments of the invention herein shown and described without departing from the gist of the invention. It is therefore intended in the attached claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit of the invention.

What is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A sealed container formable from a generally rectangular multilayer laminated blank of interfacia-lly bonded fibrous and metal foil sheet material, said blank having one pair of opposed terminal ends thereof disposed in overlapped sealed relation by interposed adhesive material to form a generally rectangular article encircling body portion terminating in foldable top and bottom peripheral portions, said bottom peripheral portion being folded inwardly into multi lamina overlying sealed relationship by interfacially disposed adhesive material to form a fully sealed bottom closure for said artiele encircling body portion of said container, said top peripheral portion being formed to include a pair of spaced slots defining an intermediate tear flap portion and adjacent main flap means, said tear flap portion shaped to provide a pair of side segments integrally joined to an elongate central segment, said elongated central segment including an integral extending end portion projecting beyond the ends of said side segments to form a projectable tab, said rn-ain flap means being folded in- Wardly into rnulti lamina overlying sealed relation by interfacially disposed adhesive material to form a partial sealed top closure 'for a portion of the container top adjacent to one side thereof, said central segment of said tear flap portion being folded inwardly in the direction of said one side of said container to overlie the remainder of the container top with at least a portion of said projectable tab disposed in overlying sealed relation with the slot abutting end portion of said folded main flap means and with said pair of integral side segments of said tear flap portion being sealingly disposed in rnnlti lamina overlying sealed and folded relation over the remainder of said central segment thereof by interfacially disposed adhesive material to complementally complete the sealed top closure for said container and permit separation of 6 said tear flap portion along its meeting edges with the body portion of said container when said projectable tab is pulled to open said container.

2. A container as set forth in claim 1 including releasable adhesive means disposed intermediate the abutting surfaces of said pr'ojectable tab and said main flap to releasably retain said tab in sealed engagement with said main flap means.

3. A container as set forth in claim 2 wherein said fibrous and metal foil sheet material are interfacially bonded by interposition of a thin film of polyethylene therebetween.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,785,639 12/1930 Maurer 229-87 2,844,298 7/1958 Tania-Pin 22-95l 2,907,511 10/1959 Saidel 229-17 2,928,579 3/1960 Graybill 22917 2,954,116 9/1960 Maso et a l.

3,115,293 12/1963 Hovland 22951 JOSEPH R. LEC-LALR, Primary Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner. 

1. A SEALED CONTAINER FORMABLE FROM A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR MULTILAYER LAMINATED BLANK OF INTERFACIALLY BONDED FIBROUS AND METAL FOIL SHEET MATERIAL, SAID BLANK HAVING ONE PAIR OF OPPOSED TERMINAL ENDS THEREOF DISPOSED IN OVERLAPPED SEALED RELATION BY INTERPOSED ADHESIVE MATERIAL TO FORM A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR ARTICLE ENCIRCLING BODY PORTION TERMINATING IN FOLDABLE TOP AND BOTTOM PERIPHERAL PORTIONS, SAID BOTTOM PERIPHERAL PORTION BEING FOLDED INWARDLY INTO MULTI LAMINA OVERLYING SEALED RELATIONSHIP BY INTERFACIALLY DISPOSED ADHESIVE MATERIAL TO FORM A FULLY SEALED BOTTOM CLOSURE FOR SAID ARTICLE ENCIRCLING BODY PORTION OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID TOP PERIPHERY PORTION BEING FORMED TO INCLUDE A PAIR OF SPACED SLOTS DEFINING AN INTERMEDIATE TEAR FLAP PORTION AND ADJCENT MAIN FLAP MEANS, AND TEAR FLAP PORTION SHAPED TO PROVIDE A PAIR OF SIDE SEGMENTS INTERGRALLY JOINED TO AN ELONGATED CENTRAL SEGMENT, SAID ELONGATED CENTRAL SEGMENT INCLUDING AN INTEGRAL EXTENDING END PORTION PROJECTING BEYOND THE ENDS OF SAID SIDE SEGMENTS TO FORM A PROJECTABLE TAB, SAID MAIN FLAP MEANS BEING FOLDED INWARDLY INTO MULTI LAMINA OVERLYING SEALED RELATION BY INTERFACIALLY DISPOSED ADHESIVE MATERIAL TO FORM A PARTIAL SEALED TOP CLOSURE FOR A PORTION OF THE CONTINER TOP ADJACENT TOP CLOSURE FOR A PORTION OF THE CONTAINER TOP ADTEAR FLAP PORTION BEING FOLDED INWARDLY IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID ONE SIDE OF SAID CONTAINER TO OVERLIE THE REMAINDER OF THE CONTAINER TOP WITH AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID PROJECTABLE TAB DISPOSED IN OVERLYING SEALED RELATION WITH THE SLOT ABUTTING END PORTION OF SAID FOLDED MAIN FLAP MEANS AND WITH SAID PAIR OF INTEGRAL SIDE SEGMENTS OF SAID TEARN FLAP PORTION BEING SEALINGLY DISPOSED IN MULTI LAMINA OVERLYING SEALED AND FOLDED RELATION OVER THE REMAINDER OF SAID CENTRAL SEGMENT THEREOF BY INTERFACIALLY DISPOSED ADHESIVE MATERIAL TO COMPLEMENTALLY COMPLETE THE SEALED TOP CLOSURE FOR SAID CONTAINER AND PERMIT SEPARATION OF SAID TEAR FLAP PORTION ALONG ITS MEETING EDGES WITH THE BODY PORTION OF SAID CONTAINER WHEN SAID PORJECTABLE TAB IS PULLED TO OPEN SAID CONTAINER. 